Water Words

for String Trio

"Hovering over the face of the waters," one can imagine the deep darkness below. And yet, the blue sky reflects upon the surface. This variability in the nature of water allows for multiple perspectives in the music.

When asked to contribute a set of miniatures for Chartreuse’s “Water Cycle,” I was drawn to the idea of using excerpts of text from the Bible as inspiration. The excerpts refer to water in different ways, from mysterious darkness to light-hearted drops of rain. This provides a unique mood and perspective for each movement.

The piece opens with the text, “darkness was upon the face of the deep,” which comes from the creation account in Genesis. This passage is followed by, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The imagery of the Spirit reminded me of the ancient hymn tune, “Veni Creator Spiritus” (Come Creator Spirit). I chose to utilize fragments of the melody throughout the work, tying the movements together with a cohesive, musical thread.